Stoneville man’s body recovered at Belews Lake

STONGEVILLE — A missing person search Saturday near Humphrey’s Ridge Family Campground at Belews Lake ended with the discovery of the body of a 27-year-old Stoneville man.

Rockingham County Sher-iff Sam Page said a diver from the Guilford Association of Scuba Personnel found the body of Chris McMichael in the lake off the end of Plummer Road in less than six feet of water. McMichael, of 106 Bryan St. in Stoneville, had been swimming at the site Saturday with several friends.

Page said one of McMich-ael’s friends called Guilford County 911 about 6 p.m., after McMichael could not be found where his friend last saw him swimming. Rescue personnel from Guilford, Stokes and Rockingham counties resp-onded to the scene and located McMichael’s body about 8 p.m.

Responding units included Pine Hall, Stokesdale and Huntsville fire departments, as well as GASP, N.C. Wildlife and the Madison-Rockingham Rescue Squad. The rescue squad transported McMich-ael’s body to Annie Penn Hospital after the GASP diver recovered the body.

Page said McMichael was presumed drowned, but a final cause of death would have to wait until completion of toxicology and autopsy results from the N.C. Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Chapel Hill.

“There was an indication of possible alcohol consumption, but we’ll have to wait for the final reports to determine if that played any part in the death,” Page said.

• Contact Lawson at .